When’s the last time you tuned in to your own mind chatter? Did you know that we have around 60,000 thoughts per day and 80% of them are negative? That’s 48,000 negative thoughts a day–unless you do something to interrupt that pattern and train your brain to think in positive new ways. By deliberately thinking in new ways, you actually form new neural pathways in the brain and disconnect others, making your new way of thinking easier.

Thinking positive, uplifting thoughts and beliefs allows you to create the life you want, instead of staying stuck in the rut of what you don’t want.

One way to do this is to be aware of the questions you ask yourself when faced with a decision or when you are experiencing something you don’t want.

Motivational speaker Tony Robbins says that the difference between successful and unsuccessful people is in the questions they ask themselves. Some questions are empowering and some are disempowering. Your brain is wonderful at going to work for you immediately to answer the questions you ask. So, are you asking questions that will move your forward, or are you asking questions that will keep you stuck?

Examples of disempowering questions may be:

1. Why does this (terrible thing) always always happen to me?
2. Why am I so stupid?
3. Why can’t I ever get this right?
4. Why does (this person) always do this to me?
5. What if I can’t do this?
6. What if I make a fool of myself?

You get the picture. Does any of this sound familiar? How would getting the answers to these questions help you? Hint: They won’t!

Here are some examples of empowering questions you may ask yourself:

1. What do I need to do to make this happen?
2. What am I learning from this?
3. What are the reasons I can do this?
4. What resources do I have to help me?
5. What beliefs would I need to have to create (what I want)?
6. What’s going right in my life right now?
7. What do I feel enthusiastic about doing?
8. How can I turn this situation into an opportunity?

When your brain goes to work to answer those empowering questions, you get answers that will move you in the direction you want to go. You’ll also feel better in the process. You will bring up into your conscious awareness all the resources and strengths you have.

Start your day with gratitude for things you have and things that are working in your life.

Appreciate yourself. Do this first thing to get your energy going in a positive direction. Then, set your intentions for the day, always using the present tense. For example, “I intend that I am happy and fulfilled.”

Then take a moment to ask yourself some empowering questions.

Write them in a journal. One great question is: What is one thing I can do today that I will feel really good about at the end of the day?
Take a deep breath and allow yourself to be quiet for a few minutes, not trying to think of an answer. Just meditate and let your thoughts float away as they come up. Then, open your eyes and write down what occurs to you, without judgement.  With consistency, you will begin to notice a positive change in your life.

Debbie Ford published a wonderful book, The Right Questions: Ten Essential Questions to Guide You to an Extraordinary Life, that offers questions to reflect on when you are faced with a decision that I highly recommend.

Partnering with a coach can be an ideal way to make sure you are on track with empowering questions.  If you’d like to explore that option, I offer a free Discovery Session.    Let me know your thoughts below!